1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation, a containing instrument for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation, as well as a picking device for picking needles for use in a surgical operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Regarding the needles for use by the doctors in carrying out suturation or paracentesis in a surgical operation, it is normal practice in many cases to count the number of needles prepared in advance for the surgical operation and to dispose respective needles in a container upon completion of the saturation or paracentesis, and to count the number of the needles upon completion of the surgical operation. After confirmation in this manner to see that the two numbers are in agreement with each other, the used needles are disposed of in a lump. Since many of the needles for a surgical operation are small and pointed, they are likely to get lost if they are merely placed inside a container. As a result, there are cases where the number of needles counted before the surgical operation does not coincide with the number counted after the operation. Further, when one is going to place the needles inside the container, one sometimes gets hurt by the needles. Therefore, when the patients of C type hepatitis and patients infected with AIDS virus are operated upon, there is a possibility that the persons engaged in the surgical operation get infected with such diseases.
In addition, it is also normal practice to insert the needles for a surgical operation into a piece of sponge or cork after the surgical operation and, after the surgical operation, they are disposed of after confirmation of the number of the needles. The same kind of problems as the above are likely to occur in this case.
Simply keeping control over the needles for suturation or paracentesis by putting them in a container or by sticking them into sponge, or the like, will sometimes result in a problem of loss in needles. Therefore, it has been required to safely treat and keep under control the needles used in a surgical operation after suturation or paracentesis.
This invention has an object of providing: a container for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation, which enables a safe disposal and control of the needles after suturation or paracentesis; a containing instrument for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation; as well as a picking device for use in containing needles for a surgical operation.
In order to attain the above and other objects, the present invention is a container for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation. The container is made of a plastic sheet folded into an upper sheet and a lower sheet. The upper sheet constitutes a lid for the lower sheet. The lower sheet comprises: a side wall on each of three sides of the lower sheet; a first adhesive tape disposed on at least a part of an inner surface of the lower sheet exclusive of the side walls; a second adhesive tape disposed along an edge of at least one side of the upper sheet; a plurality of magnetic rubber pieces disposed on one of an upper side and a lower side of the first adhesive tape in parallel with, and at a predetermined distance from, each other; and a piece of releasing paper placed in position on the first adhesive tape which has disposed thereon or thereunder the magnetic rubber pieces. By employing the container as constituted above, the needles for a surgical operation used for suturation or paracentesis can be adhered to the first adhesive tape and the magnetic rubber pieces. It is therefore possible for the doctors and nurses to safely dispose or keep control over the needles for a surgical operation after using them in suturation or paracentesis, thereby preventing the needles from getting lost.
The container may further comprise a third adhesive tape disposed on a part of an outer surface of the lower sheet exclusive of the side walls.
Preferably, a mark for counting the needles used in a surgical operation is indicated along a longitudinal direction of at least one of the plurality of magnetic rubber pieces. The indication is made near a bottom surface of, on an upper surface of, or both near the bottom surface and on the upper surface of, the magnetic rubber piece.
Another container for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation according to this invention comprises: a plastic sheet having a side wall on four sides; an adhesive tape disposed on at least part of an inner surface of the plastic sheet exclusive of the side walls; a plurality of magnetic rubber pieces disposed on one of an upper side and a bottom side of the adhesive tape in parallel with, and at a predetermined distance from, each other; and a piece of releasing paper placed in position on the plastic sheet which has disposed thereon or thereunder the magnetic rubber pieces.
The container may further comprise a second adhesive tape disposed on a part of an outer surface of the plastic sheet.
Also in this container, preferably, a mark for counting the needles used in the surgical operation is indicated along a longitudinal direction of at least one of the plurality of magnetic rubber pieces. The indication is made near a bottom surface of, on an upper surface of, or both near the bottom surface and on the upper surface of, the magnetic rubber pieces.
A containing instrument for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation according to this invention comprises a supporting member, and at least one plastic foamed member of rectangular parallelepiped in shape fixed to a surface of the supporting member. The foamed member is made of a laminated body having a plurality of foamed materials adhered together with an adhesive agent along a longitudinal direction thereof, and is so constructed and arranged that, when needles used in a surgical operation are inserted into a longitudinal side surface of the foamed member, the needles are capable of being inserted through a layer of the adhesive agent.
Preferably, the foamed member comprises a cover sheet provided on a side surface opposite to an inserting side surface of the foamed member into which the needles used in the surgical operation are inserted as well as on an upper surface thereof, or only on the opposite side surface thereof such that, when the needles used in the surgical operation are inserted into the inserting side surface, the needles are prevented from projecting out of the opposite side surface or the upper surface.
Also in this containing instrument, preferably, a mark for counting the needles used in the surgical operation is indicated along a longitudinal direction of at least one of the foamed member. The indication is made near a bottom surface of, on an upper surface of, or both near the bottom surface and on the upper surface of, the foamed member.
Another containing instrument for holding therein needles used in a surgical operation according to this invention comprises a supporting member, and at least one foamed member of columnar or polygonal shape adhered to a surface of the supporting member. The foamed member is made of a laminated body having a plurality of foamed materials adhered together with an adhesive agent into a coaxial shape in cross section, and is so constructed and arranged that, when needles used in the surgical operation are inserted into a peripheral surface of the foamed member, the needles are capable of being inserted through a layer of the adhesive agent.
Also in this containing instrument, preferably, a mark for counting the needles used in the surgical operation is indicated along the peripheral surface of the foamed member near a bottom surface of, on an upper surface of, or both near the bottom surface and on the upper surface of, the foamed member.
A picking device for use in containing needles for a surgical operation into the container according to this invention is of a scoop shape having a predetermined length with a forward end portion for picking up the needles and a handle portion. The forward end portion is bent at an angle of 30xc2x0 through 35xc2x0 relative to the handle portion. The device comprises a magnetic rubber piece disposed on at least part of a rear side of the front end portion, and a conical projection disposed on a front side of the forward end portion. This picking device is used in containing the needles into the above-described container. The range of the angle is the most suitable range in easily picking up or holding the needles for a surgical operation. If the angle falls outside this range, it becomes difficult to hold the needles. The conical projection is useful in sorting the needles of different sizes mixed together. By employing the picking device as arranged above, the handling of the needles becomes easy.